After nine years of married life, my husband and I have evolved into gifting each other more practical, useful gifts for the holidays. Case in point: we recently celebrated a wedding anniversary and our gift to each other was a new vacuum. –Seriously. It was a really nice hi-tech vacuum, but a household cleaning device nonetheless. We figure, we have everything we need and buy ourselves what we want –within reason and many times after each other’s counsel. Now, for milestone birthdays & anniversaries, we favor the gift of experiences: i.e. international travel, concerts, weekend staycations, etc. But especially since becoming parents, for those “greeting card holidays” like Valentine’s Day & Mother’s/Father’s Day, we appreciate unique everyday gifts that are consumable and practical. For starters, he’s asked for a tub of Tacodeli’s “Dona” sauce (now available at Whole Foods Market!) and it’s already in the fridge waiting for him. Here are some other ideas:

For the Clean Freak Dad: Caffeinated soap. DirtyBird Energy is dedicated to creating products to help productivity for active, busy lifestyles. Whether it is at the office, during a workout, or raising children, they want to help everyone be at their best and most productive. Each DirtyBird Energy Bar is infused with ingredients to help achieve this goal.—The Energy Soap bars are infused with caffeine and peppermint oil to energize the body and mind. Scientific studies show caffeine absorbs through pores and hair follicles, which will energize the body even before your first cup of coffee in the morning.

—The Relax Soap bars are infused with lavender, chamomile, rosemary, and ylang ylang essential oils. Each of these oils absorbs to relax the body and mind as well as soothe the skin. An evening shower with Relax helps to promote a restful sleep allowing him to wake up refreshed & ready for the day ahead.

And the soap isn’t the only thing that’s special! Each soap comes packaged in a patented reusable container that snaps shut and allows Dad to take his soap anywhere (the gym, camping, vacation, etc.) or use it to keep other goodies in. And DirtyBird Energy is proudly made in the U.S.A. — another plus! DirtyBird Energy Soaps are available in singles, a 2-pack variety, 6 packs or in a monthly subscription, delivered right to his doorstep every month.

For the Traveling Dad: Alkaline water. With summer around the corner, the whole family will be drinking a lot more water. These alkalizing sachets by Coral LLC help raise the pH of his drinking water, buffer chlorine, and add Vitamin C & antioxidants by way of ionic trace minerals. This is a great thing to pack in his backpack during summer travel — useful for weekend camping trips and international excursions alike (both places where the tap water can be suspect!)I especially love their portability — perfect for amping up water fountain tap water when refilling your reusable water bottle. Whether at home or on the go, the convenient mineral sachets can easily transform ordinary water—bottled or treated—into a boosted beverage that may help support optimal energy and hydration. Alkalized water has also been known to help the body maintain a healthy pH balance, hydration level, and metabolism, as well as support natural detoxification.

For the Dad Who Does It All: Spirulina supplements. ENERGYbits spirulina tablets fire up your thinking, improve your alertness and protect your brain health all WITHOUT caffeine, chemicals, sugar or gluten. After his big day, RECOVERYbits step in by speeding muscle recovery. These supplements are a 1-2 punch that will improve everything Dad does, from his golf game to his career. He’ll love how razor-sharp his thinking gets with ENERGYbits and it’s all thanks to their high concentration of healthy fatty acids, plant-protein, chlorophyll and B vitamins, with no caffeine, chemicals or sugar. These tiny little algae tablets are the healthiest way for everyone to focus better, recover quick, and work smarter not harder. Show your dad (and yourself) some love this Father’s Day and feed your brain with bits. One size fits all!

Well, it’s November 1st. Halloween is behind us. The holiday season has begun! Our family Christmas cards actually arrived from the printer’s last night, marking the occasion perfectly. I went out around 10 p.m. to bring in the candy bowl and found the box sitting on the porch…my own little trick-or-treat surprise!We recently had the special opportunity to shoot our family holiday photos at Sekrit Theatre located in East Austin. Our amazing photographer Laura Morsman had the contact & found the location, which is 2-acres of greenhouse, gardens, fountains, and artistic touches at every turn. Although it’s private property and you do need an appt./permission to shoot there, I spoke with the owner at length before our session & he is opening it up as much as he can for photos. The venue (his home) is his labor of love and called it like a cultural center…holding weddings there is donation-based, for example.It’s sad, really: due to some city zoning issues & complaints from neighbors, it’ll probably get all torn down and turned into condos soon. You can read more about the plight of the our community’s “secret theater” here. Go visit this little Austin gem while it’s still around! Today, I’m sharing photos from inside the greenhouse, but more moments from the rest of our shoot will be shared here on the blog & on my Instagram in the coming weeks. THANK YOU Laura Morsman Photography!!!

The perfect gift for HIM: This year, I decided to get Ryan something functional yet fancy at the Boardroom Salon for Men. He refuses to let me book him a massage and no way would he be down with joining me for a pedi, so this is about as close as he’ll comfortably get to a ‘day of pampering.’ Plus, he just started a new job and I know he’s focused right now on putting his best foot forward when it comes to looking polished & professional. He’ll be getting their Benchmark signature service, which includes:

The perfect gift for HER: I was recently sent this necklace from Helen Ficalora: a stunning sterling silver “love” disk charm on an 18″ fine chain. The designer’s inspiration comes from her passion for her friends & family and this collection celebrates those we love and cherish. Each piece is handcrafted to express an appreciation for beauty, love and peace. –I adore this piece and the message behind it!

Featured frequently in the media, Helen Ficalora pieces are a favorite among celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Julianne Moore, Tina Fey and Karlie Kloss, to name a few. The Valentine’s Day collection is available in Yellow, Pink, and White 14k Gold with select pieces also available in Sterling Silver. The prices range from $75-$1800, making them the ultimate gift for any budget. And, how cute is this pink packaging?!?

Launching a new series today! I just had to start documenting the joie de vivre I get from my well-dressed husband. When I saw him don this magenta oxford, I decided today was the day to put him on the blog. He’s gotten more & more into fashion, proper fit, and quality-over-quantity over the last few years and I admire his sartorial refinement. He enjoys dressing well, but is annoyed by my impromptu photography sessions. No matter, he’s gotta do it for me — penance for having a better shoe collection than I do.